Be Real (Pt.2) – How To Stop “Photoshopping” Your Entire Life

We live in a picture-perfect world. We are successfully retouching our perceived imperfections. We are cropping out parts of our lives that don’t match the image we must present to the world.

We have every aspect of our lives ready to be blasted across social media at anytime. Sometimes we get too wrapped up in making everything seem so perfect that we forget to be real. The extent to which this airbrushing of a fake image can be harmful may go deeper than you think.

the fake ideal of beauty

Photoshop was developed in 1987 by the American brothers Thomas and John Knoll, who sold the distribution license to Adobe Systems Inc. in 1988. Fast forward to today, we use a term “photoshopping” for the photo retouching we see everywhere.

“The image editing software has revolutionized the art of photo processing and our perception of reality.”

“The image editing software has revolutionized the art of photo processing and our perception of reality.”

The ways in which a person’s appearance can be changed through Photoshop are endless. We are so used to photos being modified, that “un-photoshopped” photos of celebrities shock us and go viral.

This isn’t entirely the fault of Photoshop, but Photoshop made such editing easy and even mainstream. Today, there are even free or low-cost apps that allow consumers to do similar work to photos on their phone. With Instagram filters, selfie-enhancing apps, and free online tools everyone can retouch their look.

The pressure to be beautiful, unblemished and thin has originated in the fashion and advertising industry long ago. The unattainable beauty standards plummeted self-esteems of girls and young women who grew up believing they should look that way.

“Studies show that people who are often exposed to heavily edited advertisements believe that what they see is the norm.”

“Studies show that people who are often exposed to heavily edited advertisements believe that what they see is the norm.”

They can’t meet the requirements of the beauty ideals that are set by the media because what is presented is anatomically impossible. It drives people into depression and makes it more likely for them to suffer from eating disorders. In extreme cases, they undergo extreme starvation and beauty surgeries to meet their ideals of beauty.

Today, we are surrounded by edited pictures everywhere, not just advertisements. The trouble is that we don’t know which ones are edited and which ones are real. We scroll through a virtual world where everything perceived as “ugly” has been retouched.

“What we call “ugly” nowadays are all the makings of a real, human person. Laugh lines, blemishes, wrinkles, different face and body shapes, cellulite – it’s what makes us human.”

“What we call “ugly” nowadays are all the makings of a real, human person. Laugh lines, blemishes, wrinkles, different face and body shapes, cellulite – it’s what makes us human.”

If we don’t photoshop our flaws, we cover them up with makeup or treat them with surgery. We look up to the “Instagram beauty”, and we all want to have the same face shape, hairstyle, eyebrows, nose, lips and body shape. We are all trying to look the same like we just went out from the factory of creepiness. ::sigh::

don’t believe everything you see

It’s not a surprise that celebrities and social media influencers want to showcase their best selves on social media. They need to be “goals” because they make a living thanks to the people who look up to them.

Celebrities need people who admire them because those are the people who buy their music/films/TV shows/products/books/magazines etc. Influencers need their followers to be able to attract the high-profile brands who will want to pay to advertise in front of their large audience.

They have entire PR and marketing agencies behind what you see on Instagram, and best believe their life is no dolce vita. In most cases, their agencies have defined their brand personas which have been reinforced through their online profiles. They are under the intense pressure to present themselves as perfect as possible, so they often hire professional photographers who do the photo editing job for them.

I’m not saying that all those photos are photoshopped, but all those photos are staged. Perfect angle, perfect lighting, makeup artists, stylists and so on. Do you even know what lies behind a single “perfect” photo? More often than not, the entire teams are standing behind those people.

“It’s unfair to compare your body to celebrities or social media influencers when even they don’t look like their photos.”

“It’s unfair to compare your body to celebrities or social media influencers when even they don’t look like their photos.”

do we live photoshopped lives?

When spending most of the time on social media, it is so easy to believe in a distorted virtual reality. Our brains are exposed to thousands of perfectly staged photos and, after a while, it becomes normal. It can be so difficult not to let this “craving for perfection” affect you.

Photoshopping the “imperfections” of women’s bodies by removing a little hip here and some extra stomach there became quite normal. However, the opportunity to manipulate digital images has spoiled us. Most of us believe that we should be able to manipulate the rest of our lives.

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Aren’t we doing the same thing in the stories we tell about ourselves? We edit our personal stories, cutting out some parts and boosting others to be admired for our accomplishments.

We hold on to impossible standards of living a perfect life. We pretend it’s easy to work 10 hours a day, drive home, spend quality time with our family and friends, go to the gym or yoga class, do your nails and facial, go to shopping, meditate, cook and eat healthy, get quality sleep and survive.

“That’s the problem with Photoshop – it looks good but it isn’t real nor sustainable.”

“That’s the problem with Photoshop – it looks good but it isn’t real nor sustainable.”

You can’t juggle it all without dropping the ball at some point. Eventually, you’re going to get a wrinkle and gain a pound or two, your career will go to direction you don’t want it to go, your partner is going to drive you mad, your social life will come down to FaceTime once a week and you may not have time for travelling.

“Your picture-perfect life will eventually get a little messy, so what are you going to do? Are you going to Photoshop it away?”

“Your picture-perfect life will eventually get a little messy, so what are you going to do? Are you going to Photoshop it away?”

Are you going to put a fake smile and pretend you’re living your best life? Or are you going to own your journey and admit that it’s not all fun and games but you’re fighting for the better?

perks of being your true self

The most impactful relationship in your life is the one you have with yourself. How willing are we to look deeply into our own truth, and openly expose the complete, unedited version of ourselves?

Whether it is our looks or our lives, we tend to “retouch” the imperfections. Living in alignment with someone else’s ideals, rather than your own, will set you on a journey towards disappointment. The pain of regret for not living a life towards your true purpose will catch you sooner or later.

Comparing yourself to someone else, you resign yourself to playing small. You will never know where your unique magnificence could take you.

“Any belief that the real version of you needs to be edited before putting it on display, whispers to your true self that it’s not good enough.”

“Any belief that the real version of you needs to be edited before putting it on display, whispers to your true self that it’s not good enough.”

If you’re holding back the authentic YOU from shining, you’re limiting your true personal power. You are depriving the world of all you’re capable of being. Living in disagreement with your authentic self will damage your sense of worth that the world cannot help but reflect right back at you.

In a mask-wearing world, it’s a huge relief to be able to let down the guard and truly be ourselves. In sharing our so-called “imperfections”, we give others permission to do the same. Who doesn’t enjoy being surrounded by authentic, genuine people?

Give yourself permission to live a big life. Step into who you are meant to be. Stop playing someone else. You’re meant for greater things and your journey is unique. Real fulfillment comes with living freely, living fully and living your truth.

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